Animal Behaviour and Welfare, _BSc

Students enter Year 3 of the programme and complete 120 course credits in Year 3 and 120 course credits in Year 4. This comprises four compulsory courses in Year 3 and three compulsory courses in Year 4. Students also complete three elective courses in each year from a selection of courses.

Compulsory Courses

Year 3 consists of the following courses:

ZO3515 - Animal Evolution and Biodiversity

ZO3813 - Practical Skills in Animal Behaviour

Statistical Analysis of Biological Data (BI3010)

15 Credit Points

You will utilise a robust approach to statistical analysis, a skill highly valued by employers and researchers.Lectures provide context, background and step-by step guidance on how to conduct and interpret a selection of statistical analyses.Through a series of exercises, you learn to explore data, to specify appropriate linear models for your research question and to interpret their results.Online tests structured around the exercises and lecture content allow you to demonstrate your achievement of course learning outcomes.Working with biological and environmental datasets in a structured and supportive environment, you will gain confidence and proficiency with data analysis.

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Animal Management and Welfare (ZO3309)

15 Credit Points

This course considers the evolution, physiology and behaviour of domestic, companion and captive wild animals in relation to their husbandry and care.

You will apply your knowledge of biology and zoology to the improvement of management practices and to the enhancement of animal welfare. Field trips to local farms and a wildlife park will allow you to observe industry standards for captive animal welfare.

By researching and presenting a seminar on ethical issues related to animals in captivity, you will develop critical thinking skills and build experience in constructing and evidencing an argument, and also gain skills in group working and oral communication.

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Behavioural Biology (BI3505)

15 Credit Points

Fundamental concepts of animal behaviour are introduced through a series of lectures and practicals, essential knowledge for those interested in better understanding animal behaviour as well as potentially undertaking an animal behaviour Honours project.

During the practicals students are encouraged to reflect on the theoretical knowledge learned during the lectures and apply that in explaining the observed behaviour of animals.

Students will have the opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of animal behaviour by producing a news bulletin and by writing an essay that synthesizes information across lecture topics.

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Gateway to Honours Project (BI3511)

This non-credit bearing course will facilitate your preparation for your Honours project.

Lectures will clarify expectations for project work and provide training in risk assessment, consideration of ethical issues, environmental impacts and project planning.

Resources to help you define and plan your project will be made available through MyAberdeen, helping you to be confident that your project planning is sufficiently advanced by the end of your Programme Year 3.

Submission of an agreed (with your supervisor) project outline, completed checklists and preliminary risk assessment will allow you to demonstrate engagement with your project.

Detailed course information

Animal Evolution and Biodiversity (ZO3515)

15 Credit Points

This course emphasises how evolution has shaped the spatial and temporal patterns of animal biodiversity, and how we can use molecular genetic tools to gain a better understanding of what biodiversity means and how we can measure it.

In lectures you are guided through the theory of evolution and how this influences patterns of genetic diversity and affects biodiversity.

In practical sessions, you gain insight into the microevolutionary processes that can shape genetic variation in natural populations and some tools used to study the evolution of biodiversity.

Through a poster presentation you gain specialised knowledge and experience communicating complex ideas and synthesizing information about the latest developments in evolutionary biology.

Through written assignments you will consider how evolutionary processes shape biodiversity in Scotland and how we can maintain this biodiversity through effective stewardship, conservation and management.

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Practical Skills in Animal Behaviour (ZO3813)

15 Credit Points

Students carry out weekly practical activities which provide opportunities to observe animals, learn and practice the methods we use to study behaviour, and improve their ability to ask ecological and evolutionary questions about animal behaviour. Before the practical sessions we give a lecture covering the subject area and methods we will use that week. We conduct sessions at Newburgh seal beach, the Loch of Strathbeg, and in the Science Teaching Hub in Aberdeen.We provide training in the use of observational techniques such the different types of behavioural sampling and video recording, and data-based methods such as social network analysis. This equips you with the skills to explore and understand all kinds of animal behaviour.Students analyse data from their observations and write up reports each week. We provide regular feedback to allow you to rapidly improve your writing and analysis skills.Students will apply their knowledge by conducting their own bespoke research project, setting your question, choosing a study system, collecting, visualising, and analysing data, and writing up the report.

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Optional Courses

Plus select 45 credit points from courses of choice.

Compulsory Courses

SBS Honours Project (BI4016)

45 Credit Points

In this course you will take your scientific skills to the next level, by carrying out an independent research project within the research group of an academic supervisor. In the span of an entire semester, you will execute the full life cycle of a research project, from initial planning to data collection, analysis and write-up as a manuscript. The course will also focus on developing generic professional skills through workshops and tutorials, providing you with a diverse toolkit for the next stages of your career in biological science or related professional fields.

Course highlights:

• A wide variety of projects, involving fieldwork, labwork and/or computational work
• Developing academic scholarship in a topic of your interest
• Time-management of data collection, data analysis and write-up
• Presenting research outputs in the form of a written thesis in the style of a research paper
• Workshops to help you plan for the next steps in your academic or professional career

Detailed course information

Behavioural Ecology and Conservation (ZO4543)

15 Credit Points

This course will give you the opportunity to learn about contemporary topics in fundamental behavioural ecology and how this knowledge can be applied to improve the conservation and management of animals.Academics working at the cutting edge of behavioural research will report on the state-of-art in their field, while you will gain direct experience of data-based approaches regularly used by researchers. Independent learning activities will encourage further exploration of the latest advances in the field through recorded lectures and conference presentations and the critical examination of journal articles and pre-prints.You will develop your understanding of the state of the art in the field and be introduced to the process of research planning by reviewing grant proposals before writing your own grant proposal.

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Topics in Animal Welfare (ZO4821)

15 Credit Points

Animal welfare is a concept based in science as well as philosophy – welfare can be measured and is important from an economic as well as moral point of view.This course uses a mix of class discussions, site visits, guest lecturers and self-directed study to provide a framework on which students can build and synthesise their knowledge of the science of animal welfare.

Student-led activities promote the development of transferable skills such as time management, project planning and reporting.

Detailed course information

Optional Courses

Plus 45 credits from courses of choice, at least 15 of which must be from courses delivered by the School of Biological Sciences (i.e. BI, EK, EV, FY, PL, or ZO courses) at level 4.
A graduating curriculum for the Honours programme must include at least 90 credit points from Level 4 courses.